ORLANDO, Florida (AP) -- At just 1 year old, Theo had already turned to a life of crime.

The tiny Yorkie would sneak into restaurants inside his owner's bag, usually undetected, but he and Marcy Richardson were occasionally kicked out.

Now the 26-year-old Richardson and Theo can stop worrying and start chowing down.

Gov. Jeb Bush on Friday signed the so-called "doggie dining" bill, which allows local governments to let restaurants permit dogs to eat with their owners outside.

Florida health regulations previously prevented all dogs except service animals from joining patrons al fresco, although several restaurants ignored the rules until local regulators started cracking down last year.

Rep. Sheri McInvale, an Orlando Republican, filed the bill after some complained they were threatened with fines.

The measure creates a three-year pilot program, and the state will determine whether to continue it. Allowing dogs to dine will be up to each county, and even if it's allowed, restaurant owners will still decide individually whether to participate.

Bush said the bill will allow dog lovers and their pets to "have a brewski together, have a hot dog together or whatever they want outdoors."

"It just seems like it's a small thing but it's going to be an important thing for a whole lot of people," he said.

Not everyone supported the bill. Orlando resident George Jones said he thought legally allowing dogs to dine in public was "the most ignorant thing I've ever seen."

"They eat well, but they don't eat with me," Jones, 51, said of his border collie and black Labrador. "I've already made the decision that I won't go to any place that will allow them. I just don't think people should eat with dogs; that's disgusting."

I haven't seen this myself, but apparently in France, widely considered (perhaps in large part because of self promotion) the greatest food country in the world, dogs are allowed in restaurants without restrictions. I've never seen one in Germany, however. Just smokers and mediocre food. Take me back to that Indian lunch buffet Ralph, please.

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
-- Johann Sebastian Bach

jbuck919 wrote:I haven't seen this myself, but apparently in France, widely considered (perhaps in large part because of self promotion) the greatest food country in the world, dogs are allowed in restaurants without restrictions. I've never seen one in Germany, however. Just smokers and mediocre food. Take me back to that Indian lunch buffet Ralph, please.

Dan Ferguson wrote:Just what we don't need, another Bush as President. Give me another Clinton.

I don't want either. I think you might have been busy when last I mentioned that since 1952, the Republican top ticket has had either Nixon, Ford, Dole, Bush, or Reagan. That's 54 years of lack of imagination and "my-turn-ism." Enough already. And for once, just last week, someone mentioned, however tangentially, the 800 lb gorilla in her Clintonship's anticipated campaign.

Dan Ferguson wrote:Just what we don't need, another Bush as President. Give me another Clinton.

I don't want either. I think you might have been busy when last I mentioned that since 1952, the Republican top ticket has had either Nixon, Ford, Dole, Bush, or Reagan. That's 54 years of lack of imagination and "my-turn-ism." Enough already. And for once, just last week, someone mentioned, however tangentially, the 800 lb gorilla in her Clintonship's anticipated campaign.

You think we can go half a century with those kinds of Republicans (actually only Reagan was egregious, with disastrous results) and you expect an "imaginative" choice? Just what do you have in mind, and I'm sure I'm going to be sorry I asked.

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
-- Johann Sebastian Bach

Dan Ferguson wrote:Just what we don't need, another Bush as President. Give me another Clinton.

I don't want either. I think you might have been busy when last I mentioned that since 1952, the Republican top ticket has had either Nixon, Ford, Dole, Bush, or Reagan. That's 54 years of lack of imagination and "my-turn-ism." Enough already. And for once, just last week, someone mentioned, however tangentially, the 800 lb gorilla in her Clintonship's anticipated campaign.

You think we can go half a century with those kinds of Republicans (actually only Reagan was egregious, with disastrous results) and you expect an "imaginative" choice? Just what do you have in mind, and I'm sure I'm going to be sorry I asked.

Are you asking who I would have now, or who I would have had in those elections?

Corlyss_D wrote:
Are you asking who I would have now, or who I would have had in those elections?

Now. What else matters?

I like Rice, Powell, Giuliani, and Schwartzenegger. I'm sure there are others, like Lesley Graham, that I could warm up to. I want a small government, low tax, strong defense guy. I'm afraid that everyone I would love to be in office won't or can't run for the job. I don't blame them really. Just leaves me in the position of having to "settle for" someone.

Last edited by Corlyss_D on Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

Corlyss_D wrote:
Are you asking who I would have now, or who I would have had in those elections?

Now. What else matters?

I like Rice, Powell, Giuliani, and Schwartzenegger. I'm sure there are others, like Leslie Graham, that I could warm up to. I want a small government, low tax, strong defense guy. I'm afraid that everyone I would love to be in office won't or can't run for the job. I don't blame them really. Just leaves me in the position of having to "settle for" someone.

We will never have a small government or lower taxes, nor should we want to, nor will we ever have a serious political candidate who could produce such without disaster. That does not mean I do not share your disgust over bloated bureaucracy based on personal experience. But it is not across the board. I encountered it as a NASA contractor employee, but I have encountered no such thing in DoDDS, which is so streamlined you could run it from here to Korea on a monorail.

This is where you and I differ in a fundamental way. None of those folks you mention would be the monstrosity that Reagan was, the criminal that Nixon was, or the semi-imbecile that the current president is, but that's not the point. They would also not advance us in the direction in which we should be going, which is my agenda and not yours, and you know what I mean because we have been back and forth on this numerous times. What we need, to state an exemplary case, is another Bill Clinton who will not cave in but sign his name to an executive order saying that gays have full rights in the military and I don't give a s*it what anyone else thinks. What we need is someone who will take us out of this laughingstock situation where tens of millions have no health coverage when everybody in, say, Cuba, does. We're not likely to get that from either party in the near future, but the Democrats remain a closer hope.

There's nothing remarkable about it. All one has to do is hit the right keys at the right time and the instrument plays itself.
-- Johann Sebastian Bach

Yes, I wonder sometimes how the DoDDS escapes unwanted attention. It does a remarkable job. One of my colleagues at IRS was a man who was a math and science teacher in the system, Hal Mosher, for one career, until he decided for some reason to come home and go to law school. He was full of stories about the system from a perspective that I could not appreciate as a 1-3 grader in the system. But as I've said several times here, it was a huge disappointment to transfer from that system to the State of Virginia and have to come up against segregation and the exalting of Virginia state history over that of the US. A rude shock, in short.

Ain't biting on the rest. But when and if you guys get back in power, remember that revenues were up $11 bil. over last year because the tax cuts encouraged divestiture of assets and capital goes where capital is treated best.

Last edited by Corlyss_D on Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

jbuck919 wrote:I haven't seen this myself, but apparently in France, widely considered (perhaps in large part because of self promotion) the greatest food country in the world, dogs are allowed in restaurants without restrictions. I've never seen one in Germany, however. Just smokers and mediocre food. Take me back to that Indian lunch buffet Ralph, please.

You expect to see a dog there?

*****

You never know.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

jbuck919 wrote:
...who will not cave in but sign his name to an executive order saying that gays have full rights in the military and I don't give a s*it what anyone else thinks. What we need is someone who will take us out of this laughingstock situation where tens of millions have no health coverage when everybody in, say, Cuba, does.

Fill in the blank on the name above--Hear, hear on the idea of a statesperson who will act based on his/her stated convictions and the wants and needs of the American people. Is there NO one out there who will refuse to pander, obfuscate or outright lie, and just get to the business of real straight talk and governing???

(And if Jeb can stick to the doggie bills. If he ever wins the presidency, I'm in Australia. )

jbuck919 wrote:
...who will not cave in but sign his name to an executive order saying that gays have full rights in the military and I don't give a s*it what anyone else thinks. What we need is someone who will take us out of this laughingstock situation where tens of millions have no health coverage when everybody in, say, Cuba, does.

Fill in the blank on the name above--Hear, hear on the idea of a statesperson who will act based on his/her stated convictions and the wants and needs of the American people. Is there NO one out there who will refuse to pander, obfuscate or outright lie, and just get to the business of real straight talk and governing???

(And if Jeb can stick to the doggie bills. If he ever wins the presidency, I'm in Australia. )

Teresa

*****

Teresa,

I AM the Man of the Hour who meets your standards.

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."